From Sheep to Feet: CloudLine Hiking Socks

Where Do Hiking Socks Come From?

A lot of work goes into the design and creation of CloudLine merino wool hiking socks. The CloudLine team loves hiking and obsesses over every detail from wool selection to trail testing and design tweaking. The result is an ultra soft hiking sock that keeps feet happy and blister-free mile after mile.

Better Wool Makes Better Hiking Socks

CloudLine sources merino wool from around the world based on strict criteria. CloudLine uses only high-quality wool from farms that have sustainable and cruelty-free production standards. Most of CloudLine's wool comes from Uruguay, which only produces "mulesing-free" wool. Mulesing is a painful and cruel method to prevent a type of fly infestation in sheep. Unfortunately, this method is very common elsewhere around the world.

The Merino breed of sheep is special. They produce a much finer and softer wool than most other breeds. These special properties, along with wool's ability to wick moisture, breath, and resist odor make it perfect ingredient for a premium hiking sock like CloudLine's.

Hiking Socks Knit for Adventure

CloudLine's hiking socks are made in the USA using Lonati and Sangiacomo knitting machines, which can turn the fine merino wool into a pair of premium hiking socks with seam-free toes in under 4 minutes. Afterward, the socks are washed, dried and packaged. Each sock is then carefully inspected for quality and consistency before being shipped to happy hikers everywhere.

Pin this Article

Julie Watterson

Author

I am a textile technology student at North Carolina State University. I love learning about the textile industry, especially sustainable textiles. My hobbies include: art blogging, running, and social media.

Leave a comment

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Also in The CloudLine Hiking and Backpacking Blog

A sharp knife can be one of the most useful tools in your pack or pocket. Along with always wearing our CloudLine hiking socks, we always carry a knife when we are hiking and backpacking. A good blade comes in handy for everything from food prep to survival and is an important item on the 10 Essentials list. Whether you are looking for a pocket knife for everyday carry or just for the trail we've rounded up our favorite options for everyone from ultra-light backpackers to day hikers.

If you are feeling adventurous and want to make your own meal for your next backpacking trip this Pad Thai recipe is a great place to start. It doesn't take much prep work at home and is fairly easy to prepare on the trail and is delicious. A few of the ingredients can be difficult to find at local grocery stores but can easily be found on Amazon with free shipping and can be used for other backpacking recipes as well. Best of all because we won't be using traditional fish sauce, you can easily keep this recipe vegetarian-friendly by omitting the chicken.

If you've never gone hiking or have never planned your own hike there are a few things you should know before hitting the trail. The last thing you want is to become a news story about an unprepared hiker who got lost or needed to be rescued. Luckily, preparing for a successful first hike is not rocket science. Just follow these tips and you will be on your way to a great first hike that is safe, fun and memorable. So keep reading, and then get out there and go hiking!